


Not Alone

by RubyLipsStarryEyes



Series: Nobody Really Wins a War [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Grief, Grieving, Hurt, Loss, Minerva McGonagall - Freeform, Severus Snape - Freeform, in memoriam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 15:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21147959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RubyLipsStarryEyes/pseuds/RubyLipsStarryEyes
Summary: Severus Snape was a deeply flawed character, as he was written brilliantly human. I just like to think there was someone else he could have loved. Not in the same way as Lily, that couldn't be possible. But in his own way.Sometimes there's someone in the background who's story is waiting to be told.





	Not Alone

The black marble was simple, unadorned. So very much like him. My tears blurred the carved words on the gravestone, but I knew them by heart. It had been a year, and still my heart and soul ached from the loss of him. He wasn't overly affectionate, but the occasional times he'd take my hand or kiss me out of nowhere... There was nothing that would ever replace that. I was the only one to see that side of him though.

In the year I’d been coming to his grave every day, there had never been anyone else. Just me. I was the only one that cried for him, missed him, _ loved _him. 

~~~

A tabby cat sat not far away, watching the blonde witch cry silently, tears dripping from her eyes onto the grass. She’d been there every day since his burial. Minerva didn’t want to intrude on her grief, but today she couldn’t bear it any longer. She took a step forward, going from cat to a rather severe-looking witch in green robes. 

“You must be Elizabeth.” 

~~~

I started at my name, standing quickly and wiping my eyes. The woman that had spoken looked familiar. Wait, in the papers. Hogwart’s new headmistress. 

“McGonagall?”

She nodded, and gestured to the grave. 

“He was my friend,” she said sadly, not quite meeting my eyes. “We didn’t always see eye to eye, but he was the one that I could drink and play chess with, without ever saying a word. I miss that.”

I just nodded, confused. He had never mentioned her. Though, he’d probably never mentioned me either. That was his nature... But how did she know my name?

~~~

Minerva watched the woman, her wide blue eyes confused and anguished. 

“He told me about you once. I don’t think he meant to, but I could see it. She was his first love, but you were his last.”

The witch’s eyes got wider, and she shook her head. “You must be mistaken. He didn’t love me… not like…”

“Love isn’t the same for any two people. He loved her first, he loved her like a firework explodes. Bright and fast and loud. But you… He loved you like a well stocked fire. Steady and warm, something to come home to.” Minerva finally met the eyes of the woman that had really saved her friend. 

~~~

“Would you like to come with me and get a drink? I think there are a lot of stories we could share.” The older witch smiled, and reached out a hand. 

I took it, not exactly sure why. But I turned with her, and together we walked away from the polished black stone that read; 

**Severus Snape**

**1960-1998**

Maybe I wasn't alone in missing him after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> Severus Snape was a deeply flawed character, as he was written brilliantly human. I just like to think there was someone else he could have loved. Not in the same way as Lily, that couldn't be possible. But in his own way. 
> 
> Sometimes there's someone in the background who's story is waiting to be told.


End file.
